See It Through to the End

Targets of large-scale ninjutsu, even if they manage to avoid the initial direct impact, can rarely escape the secondary damage or the lingering effects of the technique... unless they can use space-time ninjutsu to teleport out of the battlefield.

The training ground had become a body of water following Hanyu's Water Release, an environment where his abilities could be better utilized. Although he was already capable of using Fire Release, that was merely a single technique; among the ninjutsu Hanyu currently mastered, the vast majority were still Water Release.

Adding the mist created by the scorching heat of his Fire Release, the three-man squad of Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade found themselves isolated within this expanse of water.

The idea of them launching a coordinated attack seemed almost impossible... but no sooner had that thought crossed Hanyu's mind than he was proven wrong.

One must not forget that although his opponents were young, they were the most gifted of ninjas, and... Hanyu was certainly not the only one capable of using wide-range ninjutsu.

A sharp whistle of blades slicing through the air arrived first, followed immediately by a buzzing swarm.

Hanyu looked up to see shuriken obscuring the sky, hurtling toward his position. It was Sarutobi Hiruzen's Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique. That wretched Third Hokage—to think he would teach such an A-rank, high-difficulty ninjutsu to children like them! Was he not worried they wouldn't be able to learn it?

Well, at least Orochimaru would certainly be able to learn it.

To avoid being turned into a beehive, Hanyu, standing on the water's surface, quickly flashed toward the rear. He soon retreated from the area where the mist was thickest, and visibility in the surroundings improved accordingly.

His dodge was timely, but just as he was struggling to find his footing, he suddenly felt the water beneath him ripple. Then, a pair of hands erupted from the ground half a meter below the water's surface!

Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu.

The opponent's positioning was precise; theoretically, it was just enough to clamp onto Hanyu's feet. However, the user seemed to have forgotten that a layer of water covered the ground. While he could have bridged that short distance by stretching his short arms, that split second was enough to rob the technique of its element of surprise.

The moment Hanyu sensed Jiraiya's attack, he lightly leaped backward to dodge again, but that was when the follow-up combo arrived.

The mist before him was violently disturbed, and a figure flew toward him, skimming the surface of the water like a swallow.

So, Jiraiya's attack had been a feint? Someone (Tsunade) had used her teammate (Orochimaru) as a projectile.

Suspended in mid-air, Hanyu seemed destined to watch himself get struck down.

However, that was merely how it appeared on the surface. Even in such a caught-off-guard situation, Hanyu's hands remained clasped together; with a shift of his gestures, another seal was completed.

The water on the ground converged toward Hanyu's landing point, and from that center, like a massive spring, an even greater volume of water surged forth. If the previous Water Dragon Bullet had been a fierce and rapid jab, this technique was a swinging giant hammer—seemingly slow, yet unstoppable.

Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave, Hanyu completed his final technique.

Water Colliding Wave (B), Exploding Water Colliding Wave (B), and Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave (A) were three levels of power for the same technique. Given Hanyu's chakra reserves, the Great version was out of the question; the Exploding version, combined with his previous techniques, had already drained him.

In fact, this single technique alone consumed over seventy percent of his chakra. Objectively speaking, unless it was a large-scale military engagement, this type of ninjutsu was truly unnecessary for one-on-one or small-group combat.

The violent and heavy water pressure surged forward. There was no need to mention Jiraiya, who had buried himself in the earth; it was impossible for him to escape under such pressure. The guy had essentially dug his own grave and buried himself.

Orochimaru fared little better than Jiraiya; as he flew toward Hanyu, he slammed headlong into the wall-like wave. Shortly after, Tsunade, who was further away, was also swept up.

Hanyu's final technique had driven the trio into a desperate situation, but with his chakra exhausted, did he still have the ability to deliver the finishing blow?

The answer was yes.

His three Water Clones had only skirmished briefly with the three opponents before retreating and merging back into the water. Now, they moved through the water at an exceptionally high speed, dragging the submerged Tsunade and Orochimaru into the deeper depths.

The Second Hokage was not only the strongest Water Release user but also known as the fastest ninja. That man had a lifelong obsession with speed; besides the Flying Thunder God, he possessed a ninjutsu that allowed him to move at high speeds within water currents: Water Release: Wave Riding Strike.

Hanyu stood on the water, barely holding his ground. The clamorous sound of the water in the training ground slowly faded into silence. Eventually, the only sound left in the bay was the faint dripping of water from his body, like the tiny, fleeting ripples created when droplets hit the surface...

The combat training had ended.

Hanyu's clones dragged the oxygen-deprived trio up from the depths. This was only training, after all; he couldn't just let them drown.

"How was it? Pretty impressive, right?" Sanshao asked Kagami Uchiha, who had been watching the entire time from the sidelines.

Prompted by Sanshao's voice, Kagami Uchiha finally snapped out of his daze. His expression remained unchanged, but his tone was far from calm. "It's not a question of whether he's impressive or not. He's just... unique. Combining different techniques and seals like that—how did he do it? How is that even possible?"

Kagami Uchiha could roughly understand what Hanyu had done, but even with his Sharingan, he couldn't discern exactly how Hanyu had pulled it off.

Kagami recognized every technique Hanyu used, but the way he arranged and combined the seals was truly baffling. Kagami imagined that if he encountered such an opponent on the battlefield and tried to copy their techniques... he would end up looking like a complete fool, with no results to show for it.

Just as Kagami was sinking into deep self-doubt, Hanyu arrived with the unconscious trio in tow.

"Um, Sanshao-sensei, I think I might have gone a bit too far," Hanyu said, feeling slightly awkward. He really shouldn't have bullied the kids, even if there had been a moment during the fight when they could have beaten him.

Jiraiya and the others looked quite miserable. Even a beauty like Tsunade—no, wait, a little girl like Tsunade—didn't look very appealing with her eyes rolled back and foam at her mouth.

"It's fine. I expected this result when I called them over. Letting them suffer a bit is good for them." Sanshao seemed intent on letting them face some setbacks to prevent them from becoming too arrogant. She took Tsunade into her arms, checked on her briefly, and continued, "Your tactics are undeniably effective in real combat; they are overwhelming for anyone experiencing them for the first time. That being the case, your path for future training is clear: first, your chakra reserves must be sufficient to sustain your fighting style; second, you must master a third nature transformation as soon as possible, not just Fire Release."

Mixing only two types of nature transformations was insufficient to fully utilize Hanyu's potential. To truly catch enemies off guard, he needed to master at least three.

Sanshao's meaning, translated simply, was...

If you're going to chase the thrill, you have to see it through to the end.